Photo Courtesy Morrisville State College
The Morrisville State "Mo Hoe"

Photo Courtesy Morrisville State College
The Morrisville State "Mo Hoe"

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It's hardly a row over hoe

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MORRISVILLE - An amateur inventor does not feel he received proper credit from Morrisville State College for his garden tool design that students modified.

Herrick Kimball, of Moravia, designed and built an adaptation of the century-old wheel hoe. He posted a step-by-step guide to build his "Planet Whizbang" wheel hoe on his personal website.

A wheel hoe uses a blade to uproot weeds from planting rows.

The disagreement between Kimball and the college began after a press release from the college was published in The Dispatch and other local newspapers in early April.

The statement did not mention Kimball's design influence in the Morrisville wheel hoe, which the college nicknamed the "Mo Hoe." The horticulture and mechanical engineering students constructed the wheel hoes to sell at Spader Hall on the college campus and on eBay.

Kimball acknowledges that he has never patented his designs including his wheel hoe, chicken plucker, cider press or garden cart.

"It's out there and free for people to use," said Kimball. "I guess my only concern was that the newspaper articles made it sound like Morrisville had designed and developed this when they didn't."

"I don't have any problem with them making them or selling them," he added. "I think it's great and a wonderful project but I felt like I was slighted by not being acknowledged."

Kimball said his journey to designing his version began when he purchased an expensive Swiss-made wheel hoe.

"It worked wonderfully and it was an exact replica of an old Planet Jr. wheel hoe which was made by the S.L. Allen Company in the 1800s and early 1900s in America," he said. "I paid almost $400. I got to thinking that I could make one. Making simple homemade things is what I do as a business."

He has written and sold books on his past homemade projects but decided to take a different approach with the wheel hoe.

"I thought that instead I would put the plans on the Internet," he said. "It's there step-by-step at my website. I figured I would also sell kits, because not everybody is geared for cutting metal parts and pieces."

His kits have been shipped as far as Finland, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and India.

Kimball's kit sells for $99, which includes shipping, on his website. Morrisville's kit sells for $190 plus shipping if purchased online.

He said the way his wheel hoe is constructed is what makes it unique.

"Most other wheel hoes on the market and the old ones were cast out of iron or steel," he said. "That involved a process that your basic homeowner can't do."

Kimball developed an inexpensive method of constructing the wheel hoe from separate parts with an oscillating stir-up blade attachment.

"The stir-up blade pivots as you push it forward and back," he said. "It pivots just a few inches so it's not rigid or stiff. That makes it easier so the blade cuts in both directions. As you walk with the hoe you push and pull it. You're only going an inch and a half deep. It's very natural and fast."

Morrisville Horticulture Assistant Professor David Soucy worked with his students to put together their version of a wheel hoe.

"I don't have a problem with his disagreement at all," said Soucy.

"It was not designed by us," he continued. "Herrick essentially posted an open-source how-to. He has been aware of the process all along the way. He is correct that it was not designed in Morrisville. It was manufactured here but it is not our design or invention."

Soucy said he consulted with Kimball during the construction of the "Mo Hoe".

"He did actually ship us some materials and gave us some sources for other things," said Soucy. "The problem with (the press release) is that it said it was designed in Morrisville. That isn't correct."

He said the students made "two improvements" to Kimball's design.

Kimball "has a fixed handle height so this one adjusts to three heights," he said. "Also, basically we redesigned the handle itself to be more comfortable and ergonomic."

He said the basic design of the wheel hoe has remained constant throughout its history.

"The genius of it is that the little stir-up hoe on the bottom, which is a modern tool separate first and then somebody, we don't know who, essentially decided to put it on this old-fashioned tool," he said. "There is no credit to give there because nobody has any idea who first came up with it."

"The credit of the design for him is the interface," he said. "He decided to use a piece of box steel and drill holes in the side of it to attach the appendages on. The engineering students used the exact same idea. It is his design with those two improvements."

Soucy said he is trying to resolve the disagreement.

"We're talking right now," he said. "I issued him an apology and I'm trying to figure out a way to make amends now."

The eBay listing for the "Mo Hoe" has been modified.

"On the eBay listing now there is credit given there," he said. "I am not sure if he is aware of that."

Soucy said he will continue to stay in contact with Kimball but added that there is no legal issue in this case.

"In other words, there is no trademarking or patenting," he said. "This comes down to giving him credit for his ideas. I agree with that. If I could go back into time I wouldn't just say that we didn't design it. I would insist that he be mentioned. I definitely see his point of view."